IMPRESSED, BUT NOT CONVINCED
No fan of wagons, driver likes VW Golf Sportwagon, but feels it’s ‘overpriced’
A full-sized 1965 Ford Country Squire station wagon it’s not. Those large family haulers are long gone, but the concept of the wagon — and its low-slung utility — lives on in the 2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagon.
Calgarian Gil McKenzie spent a few days piloting the fully loaded Highline trim level tester.
Earlier this year, Volkswagen overtook Toyota in global vehicle sales — largely thanks to products such as the redesigned Golf. VW says the chassis is lighter and stronger, and offers increased passenger room and cargo space. Overall, the Golf has a renewed sense of presence with fresh body panels and a longer, lower and wider stance.
Volkswagen’s front-wheeldrive, five-passenger compact Sportwagon comes with either a 1.8-litre gasoline engine or a 2.0-L diesel, both of them turbocharged fours. The gas engine is paired to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, while the diesel offers a six-speed manual or automatic.
In Canada, the Sportwagon is available in Trendline, Comfortline or Highline trims. The base Trendline with 1.8-L gas engine and five-speed manual transmission costs $22,495. Loading up the Highline tester with the same engine, six-speed automatic and the multimedia package, the car tops out at $34,095 before taxes, freight and PDI.
Reviewer McKenzie has owned a variety of vehicles, including a 1965 Chrysler Windsor and a 1969 Cadillac Eldorado. In his garage now there’s a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL for fun and a Toyota Avalon for commuting. As operator of an irrigation firm, he often drives a Chevrolet Silverado.
His top three considerations when purchasing a vehicle include a reasonable price, reliability and a comfortable ride. The Golf Sportwagon Highline we’re evaluating is Volkswagen’s top-line model.
“The colour was spectacular,” he said of his first impression of the car and its Blue Silk Metallic paint. “I liked the overall style of the car, but ultimately I’m not a hatchback or wagon kind of person — and that’s just personal preference. The large wheel rims looked very sexy under the car.”
McKenzie was impressed by the sporty feel of the driver’s cockpit. At six-foot-two, McKenzie also said he found plenty of room in the car and ample support in the leather seats.
“I would say the VW had exceptional fit and finish, but I did find the navigation and information touch screen hard to use ... .”
All other gauges were accessible and easy to see, he said. As for power, McKenzie was unimpressed — especially when passing on a non-divided highway — but he did like the six-speed automatic transmission, the ride, handling and the quiet cabin.
He noted there were no major blind spots and could easily shoulder-check when changing lanes. He thought the wagon’s ample cargo area made it great for snowshoeing or hiking trips.
After McKenzie carried groceries in the car, he said he would have liked a cargo net to keep everything from rolling around. According to Volkswagen, every Sportwagon comes equipped with a cargo cover, tie-down hooks and grocery bag hooks.
McKenzie said the Sportwagon would best suit a younger family with children who had stuff to haul around. Would he buy one? Not quite.
“I just felt that fully equipped, it was a bit overpriced. I don’t have anything against the car because there’s certainly nothing wrong with it. Many of my neighbours asked about the Sportwagon and they all thought it was a beautiful car.”